MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

Published on August 8, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Rave Green Back Home to Face Chivas USA, Begin Champions League Group Phase

A resilient Seattle Sounders FC returns home this weekend as they commence the most congested phase of fixtures so far. Saturday afternoon's 1 p.m. PT encounter with Chivas USA is the first of six matches in 18 days as the Rave Green continue their quest for trophies on multiple fronts.

Fortunately four of those matches are at home, with both the Chivas USA regular season game and the August 16 CONCACAF Champions League encounter with Guatemala's CSD Comunicaciones occurring on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Saturday's match will be televised by KONG 6/16 and THIS-TV and next Tuesday's CCL group stage opener will be broadcast nationally on Fox Soccer.

Getting timely goals in the latter stages of two matches last week, Sounders FC (11-5-8, 41 points) are off to a positive start in August. First they secured a place in the group stage of the Champions League by beating Panama's San Francisco FC, 2-0, at home in extra time to finish with a 2-1 advantage in the aggregate goal preliminary series. Then came a sensational 2-1 road triumph at Kansas City, snapping Sporting's 14-match unbeaten string.

Seattle has now won six of its last eight and taken points in 10 of the last 11 in MLS, rising to within one point of FC Dallas for second position overall in the Supporters' Shield race. Sounders FC visits Dallas on August 20.

Chivas USA is the only league foe the Rave Green have yet to face in 2011. The Goats (7-8-8, 29 points) won, 3-2, at New England last week, and they are sixth in the Western Conference and in the thick of the race for a postseason berth. They have taken points from five of the last six games but are playing their third of five straight on the road.

After going winless versus Chivas USA in the first four meetings, Seattle won the final 2010 game and can now square the series with a victory on Saturday. Sounders FC also defeated Chivas in the semifinal round of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Red and White currently lead the series 2-1-2.

A victory over Comunicaciones is also vital for Seattle's chances of advancing to the next stage of the Champions League. Tuesday will be the first of six matches in Group D, with the top two teams qualifying for the knockout phase in early 2012.

This Tuesday in Vancouver, Sounders FC can all but clinch the MLS Reserve League's West Division crown with a win over Whitecaps FC. Seattle owns a perfect 7-0-0 record. The closed-door game is 2 p.m. PT at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C.

Arlo White is behind the microphone to describe both Saturday and Tuesday's matches 97.3 KIRO FM. Saturday's match will also air on La Gran D 99.3 FM.

After facing FC Dallas on August 20 Sounders FC move on to Monterrey, Mexico for the second group game on August 23. The first of three straight MLS home matches is August 27 versus Columbus. For tickets to Sounders FC home games go to www.SoundersFC.com or call 800-745-3000.

Full 90 & More

Since their inception Sounders FC have made a pact with their fans to give their full 90, yet the commitment is evidently going into extra time with last week's results serving as prime examples. Although the effort was plain to see from the opening whistle the decisive blows came in extra time against San Francisco and in the dying minutes at Kansas City.

Nate Jaqua netted the Champions League series winner in the 98th minute, and two goals in the last 200 seconds first pulled the Rave Green level and then claimed all the points versus Sporting. Exhibiting poise and cunning, Mauro Rosales equalized in the 90th minute. The next foray following the kickoff was finished with a seeing-eye strike tucked in the right corner by Lamar Neagle in the second minute of stoppage time. Seattle has scored 13 goals in the final 15 minutes of MLS games this season-far and away the league leader.

True Grit

Nothing has come easily for Sounders FC this season and with each result their reputation grows for doing whatever it takes. No matter who's on the pitch or how little time remains, the players exhibit a belief they will prevail. At Sporting KC, playing in sweltering, 93-degree heat just three days after going 120 minutes against San Francisco, Seattle summoned another dramatic performance and did so after its top two scorers came off.

Perseverance has proven to be the theme throughout the first 24 matches of 2011. While the 0-2-2 start to the campaign was relatively fruitless, a foundation of determination was developed and eventually dividends were paid. In the last 20 matches Sounders FC are 11-3-6, and have done so despite missing key players much of the way.

The mosaic taking shape is comprised of numerous short stories of comebacks. Seattle has found ways to win, whether shorthanded, a man-up or by coming from behind. In each of the last four MLS wins Seattle has come from a goal down to win and no team has a superior record to Sounders FC (4-5-3) after allowing the first goal.

KC Masterpiece

Although Sounders FC have seen more than their share of subtractions this season due to injuries, without a doubt the most significant addition has been Mauro Rosales. The Argentine attacking midfielder figured in three of the four goals scored in the two wins, and his cut back and clever roller into the left corner at Kansas City was his most clutch move yet. Scorer of three goals himself, Rosales is now tied for fifth among playmakers with seven assists, having set-up Lamar Neagle's winner less than two minutes later, and he was always on the move in a combined 210 minutes in four days. He also assisted on Nate Jaqua's winner versus San Francisco.

Substitutes for Drama

While it's an honor to earn a place in the starting XI sometimes the understudies can attract the spotlight. Last week the substitutes starred, with non-starters Nate Jaqua and Lamar Neagle scoring the winning goals against San Francisco and Sporting KC, respectively. In fact, all three of Sigi Schmid's personnel moves at Kansas City proved to be difference-makers.

Pat Noonan and Mike Fucito were the first to come off the bench. Noonan was the victim of a bad tackle that resulted in Sporting skipper Omar Bravo being ejected in the 58th minute. Fucito then assisted on the stoppage-time winner by Lamar Neagle, Schmid's third and final substitute. Earlier, in the 69th minute, Fucito and Neagle forced back-to-back saves from Jimmy Nielsen.

Subs have figured prominently in this season's fortunes, beginning in mid-April at Philadelphia when Fredy Montero and Alvaro Fernandez both came on and combined on a last-second tying goal. Later, non-starters supplied winning goals versus Real Salt Lake (Neagle) and New York (Roger Levesque). Altogether, reserves account for five goals and four assists this season.

Heavy Workload

A week with a single match represents a reprieve for Sounders FC players who played in four matches during 12-day span while traveling more than 10,000 miles by air. During that stretch five players started and played all 390 minutes: Osvaldo Alonso, Kasey Keller, Jeff Parke, James Riley and Mauro Rosales. The action will be plentiful beginning Saturday, with six matches over 19 days. Fortunately four of those games will be at home.

Sigi at 150

Given the improbability and dramatics it's a certainty that Sigi Schmid will long remember the key details of his 150th career victory at Kansas City. Already the MLS career leader in regular season (150) and playoff (19) wins, Schmid reached the milestone only 40 months after hitting the century mark while with Columbus in 2008. He is the only coach to guide two clubs to MLS Cup titles and he would like to make it three in quick fashion.

Under Schmid, Sounders FC have twice earned playoff spots and Seattle is bidding to become only the second team in the U.S. Open Cup's 98-year history to win three consecutive championships. His record in two-plus season in the Emerald City is 37-22-25 in MLS regular season play and 51-29-28 in all competitions.

Schmid Milestones

Coincidentally, Schmid has surpassed other coaching milestones en route to winning championships.

First collegiate win: UCLA 2, Cal State LA 1; September 2, 1980

50th: UCLA 3, at San Francisco 2; September 20, 1983

100th: UCLA 2, SMU 0; December 1, 1985 (Bruins went on to win first NCAA title)

200th: UCLA 3, Portland 0; November 24, 1991

300th: UCLA 1, Stanford 0; November 16, 1997 (National title followed less than a month later)

First MLS win: LA Galaxy 1, San Jose 0; April 24, 1999

50th: LA Galaxy 1, Chicago 0; June 8, 2002 (L.A. claimed Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup)

100th: Columbus Crew 1, Houston Dynamo 0; April 26, 2008 (Crew also did the league double)

150th: Sounders C 2, Sporting KC 1; August 6, 2011

Keller Keeps 'Em Close

The goals came late last week yet it was some superb stops by Kasey Keller which kept Seattle in contention in each instance. Keller made a difficult parry of a bouncing, close-range half-volley by Rolando Algadona in the first 12 minutes of the San Francisco game to deny a potentially crushing away goal. The defense eventually posted a 120-minute shutout after allowing 10 scores in the previous five games in all competitions.

At KC Keller made four saves, two of which are worthy of a Save of the Week nomination. In the seventh minute while backpedaling he pushed a Kei Kamara header over the bar. With Seattle desperately trying to claw its way back in the 51st minute the skipper used his knees to thwart C.J. Sapong. If Keller is standing between the sticks on Saturday it will be his 80th consecutive start since April 25, 2009-the longest current run in MLS.

Sing Away

It's enough to make grown men break into song, this knack of the Rave Green to pull off huge road wins. Sounders FC became the first MLS team to defeat Kansas City at the new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. They accomplished an identical feat at Red Bull Arena in 2010, and Seattle has also ended the two longest home unbeaten streaks in league history at Columbus (22 games, in 2009) and Real Salt Lake (29 matches, in 2011). With last week's win the club is now 16-14-13 on the road all-time, 5-3-5 this year. Sporting had been 4-0-4 at home this season. Sounders FC have never lost in three trips to KC.

40 and Over

The 2011 edition of Sounders FC hit the 40-point plateau after 24 games-four fixtures before 2009 and three ahead of last year. After two-dozen games the inaugural year the Rave Green were 8-6-10 (34 points) and in 2010 they stood 9-9-6 (33 points)

Man Up

Last week's win kept intact Seattle's unbeaten record (6-0-2) when finishing a match with a man advantage. Three road victories this season have come against 10 men. The list of such results:

Date Player Red Carded/Team Score

7/10/2011 Eric Brunner, POR SEA 3, POR 2

5/28/2011 Jamison Olave, RSL SEA 2 at RSL 1

4/22/2011 Brian Mullan, COL SEA 1 at COL 0

5/01/2010 Danny O'Rourke, CLB CLB 1 at SEA 1

3/25/2010 Toni Stahl, PHI PHI 0 at SEA 2

9/19/2009 Marcelo Saragosa, CHV CHV 0 at SEA 0

8/15/2009 David Beckham & Eddie Lewis, LA SEA 2 at LA 0

Tough Crowd

Sounders FC find themselves in a very competitive Group D for the Champions League. Mexico's CF Monterrey is the defending champion and swept Seattle in two CCL meetings last year. Completing the quartet are Comunicaciones of Guatemala and Costa Rica's CS Herediano, a 10-2 aggregate victor over alpha United of Guyana in the preliminary round.

The remainder of the group stage schedule will be announced this week. The top two teams from the group go to the quarterfinals in February. In 2010 Sounders FC collected only three points from the group stage. They qualified by winning the U.S. Open Cup. L.A. Galaxy, FC Dallas, Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC are also participating in the Champions League group stage.

Tickets are now on sale for all three home Champions League games, with prices starting at $15.

About Comunicaciones (provided by CONCACAF)

Founded: 1949

City: Guatemala City

Stadium: Estadio Cementos Progreso (16,000/artificial turf)

Manager: Ivan Franco Sopegno

Qualification method: 2010 Guatemalan Apertura champion, 2011 Clausura champion

Previous CONCACAF Champions League appearances: 1 (2009-10)

Honors: Guatemalan league-24 (1956, 1957-58, 1959-60, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1979-80, 1981, 1982, 1985-86, 1990-91, 1994-95, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00 Apertura, 2000-01 Clausura, 2002-03 Apertura, 2002-03 Clausura, Apertura 2008, Apertura 2010-2011, Clausura 2010-2011); CONCACAF Champions Cup - 1 (1978, shared with Defense Force and Chivas de Guadalajara)

Official website: http://www.camerinocrema.com

The second most successful club in Guatemala, behind fierce rival Municipal, CSD Comunicaciones is making its second CONCACAF Champions League appearance after initially competing in 2009-10. Los Cremas (the Creams)advanced out of Group D behind Pumas UNAM and lost to eventual champion Pachuca by a goal in the quarterfinals. After four consecutive league titles in the 90s, Comunicaciones didn't win another Guatemalan championship until claiming the Apertura crown in 2008. On December 19, it defeated Municipal on penalties to win the championship and qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. Coached by Ivan Franco Sopegno, Comunicaciones features five players-defenders Carlos Castrillo and Elias Vasquez, midfielder Jose Javier Del Aguila, forward Jairo Arreola and goalkeeper Juan Paredes-who represented Guatemala in the Gold Cup, while defender Adolfo Machado played for Panama in the competition. Comunicaciones leads the Guatemalan Apertura with a record of 3-1-1, scoring 10 goals. It hosts second-place Peñarol on Saturday night.

Date Change: Sounders FC to Host Philadelphia on October 8

The date for the home match versus the Philadelphia Union has been moved to Saturday, October 8. The game will start at 7:00 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

At the request of Major League Soccer the match was moved from its original July 23 date to accommodate the Union's involvement in the Herbalife World Football Challenge. All tickets issue for the original date will be honored on October 8.

Recap: Sounders FC 2 vs. San Francisco FC 0 - August 3, Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field

Nate Jaqua's goal in the first extra time period proved to be the series winner as Sounders FC topped Panama's San Francisco FC, 2-0, in the second and deciding leg of the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round, taking the aggregate goal series, 2-1, in front of 21,233 fans and a national television audience.

Seattle was on top 1-0 at full-time. Two 15 minute extra-time periods were necessary to determine the winner, with the aggregate goal series tied, 1-1, after San Francisco FC defeated Sounders FC, 1-0, in Panama City on July 26.

Jaqua, a substitute in the 68th minute, connected on his series-clinching goal in the 98th minute. Alvaro Fernandez received a ball up the left side from Mauro Rosales and crossed it into the middle of the box, where Jaqua pounded it from point blank range past San Francisco FC goalkeeper Miguel Torres and into the top of the net for the goal, giving Seattle the 2-0 lead on the night and 2-1 aggregate goal lead in the series.Rosales and Fernandez were credited with assists on the play.

Sounders FC dominated the flow of play early, totaling 12 shots through the first half alone, a number that included their first goal of the night.

In the 41st minute, Erik Friberg won a slide tackle challenge and played a ball forward to Fredy Montero on the left side. Montero rolled the ball into the corner of the box for Leo Gonzalez on an overlapping run and Gonzalez sent a cross in for Fernandez, who struck a header that hit the inside of the right post and went into the back of the net for a goal.Gonzalez and Montero assisted on the play.

Seattle racked up 16 more shots in the second half, finishing with a whopping 28 shots through the end of regulation to San Francisco FC's five. Sounders FC's 34 total shots in the match were a season-high in all competitions.

Goalkeeper Kasey Keller earned the shutout by making fives saves, including a crucial stop early in the contest. In the 12th minute, Keller dived to his right to make an acrobatic save, swatting away a ball that was sent on goal by San Francisco FC's Rolando Algadona.

San Francisco's Torres was impressive throughout the night, allowing just two goals with Seattle's numerous chances, recording 11 saves.

Recap: Sounders FC 2 at Sporting Kansas City 1 - August 6, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park

Seattle came back in dramatic style as Mauro Rosales and Lamar Neagle scored in the final minutes of play to snap Sporting Kansas City's league-best 14-game unbeaten streak.

Rosales scored the equalizer in the 90th minute and assisted on Neagle's winner in stoppage time as Sounders FC became the first MLS side to win at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.

Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid became the first in MLS history to reach 150 career victories. Schmid is the all-time leader in both regular season (150) and postseason (19) wins.

Sounders FC has come-from-behind in its past four MLS victories and has beat Kansas City in its past five contests, including three game-winners in stoppage time.Sporting lost for the first time since May 21 at Seattle.

Rosales pulled Seattle level in the 90th minute when Servando Carrasco played him into the box. Rosales avoided two challenges and sent a side-footed shot inside the far post.

Two minutes later, Rosales brought the ball up the center of the park and laid it off to Mike Fucito who found Neagle on the left side of the box. Neagle sent a low shot through the KC defense to put Sounders FC ahead.

Neagle scored his second MLS goal, both of them game-winners.

Seattle played with a one-man advantage for the final 31 minutes after Omar Bravo was sent off in the 59th minute for a hard tackle on Pat Noonan, who entered the match just minutes earlier.

Kansas City struck in the 20th minute when Matt Besler's long throw found an unmarked Kei Kamara for a header in front of goal from 6 yards.

Sounders FC had a pair of chances in the 69th minute but Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen made two difficult saves to keep Seattle scoreless. Fucito turned and blasted a left-footed shot from 18-yards that Nielsen denied and then Neagle collected the rebound and sent a low drive from the right side of the box the Nielsen saved with his left foot.

Kasey Keller denied Kamara earlier in the match when he tipped Kamara's headed attempt over the crossbar in the 7th minute shortly after Kansas City hit the crossbar. Keller also went down to save C.J. Sapong's low shot in the 51st minute.

Among the Leaders

Sounders FC has scored 35 goals this season (T-2nd in MLS) for a goals per game average of 1.46 (2nd). Seattle leads the league with 110 shots on goal while taking the fourth-most total shots (310). The defense holds a 1.13 goals against average (T-6th).

Mauro Rosales leads the team with seven assists (T-5th in MLS), including three game-winning assists (T-3rd). Rosales has scored three goals on 13 shots for a 23.1 scoring percentage (10th in MLS). Roger Levesque has scored at a slightly higher rate with three goals on 12 shots for a 25.0 scoring percentage (T-7th). Alvaro Fernandez puts 50% of his shots on frame (15 of 30), which is tenth in the league.

Fredy Montero leads the league with 27 shots on goal and is second with 66 total shots. Montero, Fernandez and Lamar Neagle are all tied seventh in MLS with two game-winning goals. Rosales is top five in fouls suffered (42; 4th). Kasey Keller is second in the league with 11 wins and tied third with 2160 minutes in net. Keller has six shutouts (T-5th) and has made 67 saves (T-5th).

Series Notes

Sounders FC has beat Chivas USA just once in five MLS meetings (1-2-2) but has always defended its home turf, going 1-0-1 in league play and 1-0 in the Open Cup. The Goats kept Seattle scoreless through the first four contests until Steve Zakuani and Osvaldo Alonso scored in the Rave Green's lone victory, 2-1 at CenturyLink Field in the last meeting on October 15, 2010. Despite tallying just two goals over five matches, Seattle has held Chivas to four goals, including two shutouts. Sounders FC has also outshot Chivas 55-40 (18-15 on goal) and holds a commanding advantage in corner kicks, 30-16.

About Chivas USA

Chivas USA and first-year head coach Robin Fraser have already surpassed the Goats' 2010 points total of 28 and are just one win shy of last year's total (8). Following a midseason three-match losing skid from June 11-25, Chivas USA has found its form of recent, losing just once in its past seven outings (3-1-3). The Goats are 3-4-4 on the road this season, having won at New England last Saturday, 3-2. Chivas was efficient with their scoring opportunities as they scored three goals on nine total shots on Saturday (four on goal) and earned just one corner kick. The Goats lead the league with five three-goal games, including two over the past three weeks, and the defense is even with Seattle with a goals against average of 1.13.

Goats Notables

The Goats attack features several dangerous players, most notably forward Justin Braun and midfielder Nick LaBrocca. Both players are top 10 in MLS with seven goals each. Braun, a 23-year-old 6-3 forward, is two goals shy of his career high (9) and has already recorded a personal best four assists. He has netted a hat trick twice this season, meaning all seven goals have been scored over three contests. LaBrocca is a 5-10 midfielder who joined Chivas from Toronto. His seven goals are a career-high and he has also added four assists, including a goal and assist in last Saturday's road win. Both Braun and LaBrocca are also top 10 in shots.

Ante Jazic leads the team with a personal high six assists (7th in MLS). Alejandro Moreno scored a brace last Saturday at New England. Heath Pearce joined the Goats from FC Dallas over the offseason and has started all 23 appearances with three assists. Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy has started 21 games in net, allowing 38 goals (1.05 per game) and making 67 saves.

SEA/CHV Connections

Sigi Schmid coached Robin Fraser for two seasons (1999-2000) at Los Angeles. Technical Director Chris Henderson played with Fraser for two seasons (2002-03) at Colorado. Kasey Keller played with New Zealand international Simon Elliott at Fulham from 2007-08. O'Brian White played with Nick LaBrocca at Toronto last season. Alvaro Fernandez played for Uruguay's Nacional in 2008-09 when Chivas' Marcos Mondaini joined the club on loan. A fellow Argentine, Mondaini was signed to Mauro Rosales' former rival Boca Juniors from 2004-10, though he spent some of the time on loan. Tyson Wahl played with Jimmy Conrad at Kansas City from 2006-08. Conrad also played for Schmid at UCLA from 1996-97. Schmid coached Alejandro Moreno at Columbus. Heath Pearce will return to the Pacific Northwest where he attended the University of Portland. James Riley (2001-04) and Michael Lahoud (2004-08) both played at Wake Forest University.Steve Zakuani (2007-08) played alongside Chivas' Ben Zemanski (2006-09) and Blair Gavin (2007-09) at the University of Akron.

Appearances

Midfielder Brad Evans will meet fans on Wednesday evening from 6-7 p.m. at the Kirkland Met Market (10611 NE 68th Street, Kirkland, 98033). Visit SoundersFC.com for more information on player appearances.

Throw-ins

Osvaldo Alonso will be suspended for the Comunicaciones match after being issued yellow cards in each of the two preliminary round games...Zach Scott was inserted into the back four at Kansas City, his first start since June 23, and Servando Carrasco joined the midfield for his first start since June 26...The Reserves are playing for the first time since the July 5 2-1 road win at the Galaxy...Servando Carrasco celebrates his 21st birthday on Saturday, August 13...Mike Fucito's assist on Lamar Neagle's winner at KC was his first MLS assist. His only goal also came against the former Wizards in 2010. That goal, which came in the 92nd minute ties Neagle's for the second-latest to Jeff Parke's winner versus Sporting on May 21...Bryan Meredith, a fourth round MLS SuperDraft choice for Seattle, posted the shutout as the Kitsap Pumas won the 2011 PDL championship with a 1-0 victory over the Laredo Heat last week in Bremerton, Wash. The Pumas are coached by Sounders FC broadcast analyst Peter Fewing and Daniel Scott, younger brother of defender Zach Scott, is the Kitsap captain. Seattle ousted Kitsap in the third round of the Open Cup...August 9 is the 36th anniversary of the original Sounders' final home game played at Memorial Stadium, where they sold out the final 17 dates before moving to the Kingdome in 1976. Sounders FC has sold out all 43 MLS home matches to date...Seattle has won all three home matches that have had 1 p.m. kickoffs this year.

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